One-way dispensing closure for bottles and the like



I Jan. 19, 1943.

F. s. PISANI v ONE-WAY DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed NOV. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 19, 1943. F. s. PlSANl ONE-WAY DISPENSING CLOSURE EOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 19, 1943 ONE-WAY DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Felipe Santiago Pisani, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application November 14, 1941, Serial No. 419,208 In Argentina June 24, 1941 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to one-way dispensing closures of the type used in connection with the so-called non-refillable bottles and the like, and has for its object to provide a novel closure of the type described, which, by reason of certain special constructional features will render substantially abortive any attempt by unauthorized persons to ,refill the container to which the closure is applied, without leaving evident traces of such an attempt.

Briefly, the invention may be said to consist in the provision of a device of the above-mentioned character, including a housing for attachment to the neck of a bottle and so as to lie Within the neck, and fitted with guard means including a cage containing a sliding float member and a peripheral weight member thereabove, the float member normally sealing on an annular flexible member anchored at the inner end of the cage member and within the housing and being recessed for releasable engagement at times with the flexible annular member to prevent refilling.

In order that the present invention may be readily understood and carried into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation partly in section of an improved closure according to the present invention, assembled and ready for application to a container.

Fig. 2 is a part sectional plan of the closure of Fig. 1, the section being taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively of an alternative embodiment, the section of Fig. 4 being on the line IVIV of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the portion of the guide cap structure of the embodiment of Fig. 3.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the novel closure comprises an outer imperforate housing Ill forming a chamber I2,

which in general will be of circular cross-section. The embodiment will, therefore, be described on the assumption that the guide cap [4 and the float member I6 are likewise, in general, of circular cross-section, although it is to be understood that these parts would also be of polygonal or elliptical cross-sections. At one end of the cylindrical chamber I 2, the housing I0 is reduced to form an annular shoulder l8 directed inwardly of said chamber, and a mouth depending from said annular shoulder, and having a central opening 22. The other end of the housing It is formed to provide attachment means for securing the closure to a container, as for example, for fixing the closure to a bottle mouth indicated in dotted lines at 24. Obviously, the attachment means may vary as to its construction and configuration in accordance with the requirements set by the shape and type of container to which the closure is to be applied. As shown, the attachment means comprises an outwardly and downwardly turned portion 23 of the housing It], providing an annular abutment surface 28 adapted to rest against the mouth edge of the container 24, and a depending skirt portion 3%) adapted to be spun over against the neck of the container and thus firmly secure the closure to said neck, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. Resting on the annular shoulder I8 is a resilient annular member 32, the inner edge 34 of which defines a discharge opening 36. The guide cap I4 is located within the cylindrical chamber [2 and is closed at one end as indicated at 38, and has a side Wall portion 40 which has lateral apertures 42 and 44 formed therein. The wall portion 40 terminates at its end remote from the closed end 38 in an out-turned annular flange 46, which acts to secure the annular resilient member 32 in position against the shoulder l8 and defines an opening 48 of the guide cap, the radial widths of the flange 4%, the material portion of the annular member 32 and of the annular shoulder l8 being such that the diameter of the opening 48 is smaller than the diameter of the discharge opening 35 but greater than the internal diameter of the mouth 20 at the annular shoulder I8. By this arrangement, the annular flange 46 extends inwardly over a greater annular portion of the member 32 than does the shoulder 18, so that said resilient annular member is enabled to yield to a greater extent to a pressure applied against its unsupported portion in a direction from within the guide cap towards the central opening 22 of the mouth 20, than to a pressure applied in the opposite direction.

The guide cap i4 is adapted to be secured in position by means of a pressure plate 50 having a central imperforate cap-engaging portion 52 and an outer annular portion 54, having perforations 56. In order to prevent the introduction of an instrument or Wire into the closure, whereby the operation of its parts might be dis-v turbed by unauthorized persons, bafiles 58, are provided in association with each of the perforations 56 on the side of the pressure plate 50 which in the assembled condition of the closure faces inwardly of the chamber [2. Conveniently, as will be readily understood, the perforations 55 and baflles 58, may be formed simultaneously as by a piercing and bending operation.

Within the guide cap Hi there is freely located a hollow, closed float member l6, which is a sliding fit in the wall portion 40 of the guide cap, so that the base 63 of the float normally rests on the unsupported inner edge portion of the resilient annular member 32, which consequently must be made stiff enough to support the float I5 and a spherical sinker 62 freely located in the portion of the guide cap between the top (it of the float and the closed end of the guide cap. The float 16 has a peripheral recess 55 formed in the neighbourhood of the base 63 in the cylindrical side wall of said float. Said recess is preferably formed toprovide along the side thereof nearest to the base 60 an abrupt abutment shoulder H3. The top 64 of the float I6 is preferably domed slightly at the centre to form an outer projection 12 adapted to ensure that the ball sinker 62 shall, when in contact with the float, be likewise in contact with the wall portion 53 of the guide cap or with a frustaconical upper portion 14 thereof.

The pressure plate 56 is adapted to be locked in position to hold the guide cap and thereby the flexible annular member securely and permanently in their assembled relationship within the cylindrical chamber l2, as by a bead 16 formed between the wall of said cylindrical chamber 12 and the attachment member 26.

The lateral apertures 42 and 44 of the guide cap 16, are preferably arranged in an upper series formed by the apertures 42 and a lower series formed by the apertures 4d. The lower series is formed close to the out-turned flange 45, and the upper series is so proportioned and formed at such a position in the wall 40 that when, on inversion of the closure, the ball sinker 62 rests on the closed end 38 of the guide cap with the float l6 resting on the sinker, the top 64 of the float shall be such a height above said closed end 38 as to allow of a direct communication through the upper series of apertures 42 between the chamber i2 and the portion of the guide cap 16 between said closed end 38 and the top 64 of the float [6.

If the closure of Fig. 1 be supposed attached in the manner described to a bottle containing a liquid to be dispensed which it is desired to protect from adulteration, it will be readily apparent that in the position shown, the float I5 is held in engagement with the free portion of the resilient annular member 32 by the spherical sinker 62, and thereby prevents the passage from the chamber 12 or the interior of the guide cap I4 to the interior of the bottle through the discharge opening 35 and the central opening 22, of any liquid which might be introduced into the closure through the perforations 5'5. If the bottle is tilted in an endeavour to cause the sinker to separate from the float sufficiently to allow the float to leave the resilient annular member, the ball sinker 62 will roll around to the lowest point of the top 64 and thus through the outer projection 12 thrust the float against the portion of the wall 49 lying at the higher lever thereby to close up the slight gap between the cylindrical wall 68 of the float and the wall E0 of the guide cap due to the play required to allow for free sliding movement of the float longitudinally of the end cap. However, owing to the inclination of the wall portion defining the frusta-conical portion 1'4, the ball sinker 62 will still be kept in seating engagement with the float l6, until the tilt becomes so pronounced that any liquid which has been introduced into the closure must flow out again, and last traces thereof will be washed out by a flow of liquid from within the bottle. Even if, before tilting, suflicient adulterant has been introduced into the closure for it to fill partially the portion of the end cap between the top of the float and the closed end 38, no such adulterant can find its way into the bottle even when the latter is tilted, or tilted and shaken repeatedly, because on tilting the adulterant will flow out through the upper series of apertures 42 and any be left in the upper closed portion of the guide cap defined by the frusta-conical portion 14 and the closed end 38, the float. IE will trap such portion of adulterant in said upper closed portion of the guide cap, as will be obvious from an inspection of the figure.

An attempt to force an adulterant into the bottle under pressure would be defeated by reason of the fact that the float It would be driven past the resilient annular member 32, which, as stated above, yields comparatively readily in the direction towards the mouth 22. The float [6' will thus cause said annular member to flex. until the peripheral recess 65 comes opposite the inner edge 3% of the member 32, thus allowing said member to unflex whereby its inner marginal unsupported portion engages the recess 66 to lock the float H5 in lowered position. Owing to the diiference of overlap of the flange 46 and the shoulder l8, the flexible annular member 32 will not yield sufliciently to allow the float [B to be disengaged therefrom, so that 511011 attempts at pressure filling can only result in putting the closure completely out of action. Since the closure is secured to the bottle by spinning over of the skirt portion of the attachment means, it is practically impossible to restore the closure to working condition without leaving obvious traces of tampering, because such restore).-v tion involves removing and replacing the closure with respect to the bottle.

In the variants shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the guide cap Ma, is built up of separate parts and comprises a body portion 49a of cylindrical shape having a lower flange 46a adapted to hold, the resilient annular member 32a against the shoulder I'Ba of the housing IOa. Said body portion a has likewise an upper flange 18' which is discontinuous over appreciable arcs to provide gaps through which the liquids of the container may escape. On said upper flange I3 rests an. out-turned rim 82 of a frusta-conical member Ma having perforations 52a and radially outstanding integral baflie members 84 in alignment with said openings 42a and perforations 56a of a disc-like pressure plate 52a.

The float [6a has a bulbous end 60a whereby a better seating of the float on the annular mem ber 32a is secured. Also the mouth 213a,v is constricted so as to prevent the passage into the container of the float even when considerable pressure is applied.

Similarly, the opening 22 of the mouth 20' of Fig. 1 may be made of diameter smaller than that of the float [6, although of course, if the container be transparent, e. g. of clear glass, it might prove desirable to make the said opening sufficiently large to allow the float to be forced into the container, where its presence would at once indicate that the contents have been tampered with.

What has been said above with regard to the introduction of an adulterant, is of course equally applicable to attempts to refilled in an unauthorized manner, an already emptied container.

In dispensing from a legitimately filled container, the latter will have to be tilted, and the parts will operate as follows, reference being bad to Figs. 1 and 2 since the corresponding members in Figs. 3 and 4 have been designated with the same reference characters with an a affixed. On tilting the container, its liquid contents will flow through the opening 22 into the mouth 20 and through the discharge opening 36 of the resilient annular member 32, thus coming into contact with the base 60 of the float 16. At the same time, the ball sinker 62 will roll away from the float, permitting the latter to separate from the resilient annular member and allow the liquid to pass into the chamber l2 through the lower series of openings 44. From the chamber t2, the liquid then passes out through the perforations 56 of the pressure plate 50.

As shown in Fig. 3, the bead 160. may be formed at some distance from the dispensing opening 86a of the closure so that there is sufficient room for the insertion of a separable plug, such as a small cork (not shown).

Although in the foregoing the novel closure has been described and illustrated particularly with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited thereby, but that sundry modii.

fications may be made therein, and all such modifications are held to lie within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved one-way dispensing closure for bottles and the like containers comprising an outer imperforate housing having a central passage, attachment means at one end of said housing for securing the closure to the neck of the container, an annular shoulder extending inwardly of said passage formed in the neighbourhood of the end of the housing remote from the attachment means, an inner guide cap having a plurality of lateral apertures and an end opening at one extremity, the other extremity being closed, an out-turned flange defining said end opening and being of greater radial width than said shoulder, an annular member of resilient material having an outer marginal portion firmly held between said flange and said shoulder, the radial width of said annular member being greater than that of said flange, whereby an inner marginal portion of said annular member extends beyond said flange over a portion of said opening, a hollow closed float slidably located within said guide cap and having near one end a peripheral recess adapted to engage said inner marginal portion of said member on the application of pressure to said float, to lock said float in a sealing position with respect to the closure, a sinker freely located in said guide cap between said cap and said closed end, and a pressure plate secured in said central passage to hold the guide member fixedly therewithin, said pressure plate having a central imperforate portion adapted to engage the closed end of said guide cap, and a perforate portion extending between said central portion and said housing.

2. An improved one-way dispensing enclosure according to claim 1 in which the end portion of the guide cap adjacent the pressure plate is of frustaconical form, and the lateral apertures are formed in said guide cap between said frustaconical portion and said out-turned flange.

3. An improved one-way dispensing closure for bottles and the like containers, comprising an outer imperforate housing having a central passage, attachment means at one end of said housing for securing the closure to the neck of the container, an annular shoulder extending inwardly of said passage, formed in the neighbourhood of the end of the housing remote from the attachment means, inner guide means comprising a lower, hollow member having an end opening at one extremity, a perforate side wall, a circumferentially discontinuous flange extending outwardly from the end of said hollow member remote from said end opening, an outturned flange defining said end opening and being of greater radial width than said shoulder, an annular member of resilient material having an outer marginal portion firmly held between said out-turned flange and said shoulder, the radial width of said annular member being greater than that of said out turned flange, whereby an inner marginal portion of said annular member extends beyond said flange over a portion of said end opening, said guide means comprising a hollow, upper, substantially frustaconical portion having an opening at its larger end of diameter greater than that of the lower member, and being closed at its smaller end, said upper portion having side walls and a plurality of perforations in side walls near said larger end, and an outwardly extending flange defining said opening and resting on said discontinuous flange, a pressure plate secured in said central passage to hold the upper and lower portions of the guide means fixedly in said central passage, said pressure plate having a central imperforate portion adapted to engage the closed end of the upper portion of the guide member, and a perforate portion extending between said central portion and said housing, a hollow closed float slidably located within said lower portion of the guide means and having near one end a peripheral recess adapted to engage the inner marginal portion of the resilient annular member on application of pressure to said float, to lock said float in a sealing position with respect to the closure, and a sinker freely located in the upper portion of said guide means.

4. An improved one-way dispensing closure for bottles and the like containers, comprising an outer imperforate housing having a central substantially cylindrical passage attachment means at one end of said housing for securing the closure to the neck of the container, an annular shoulder extending inwardly of said passage and formed in the neighbourhood of the end of the housing remote from the attachment means, inner guide means comprising a lower, hollow, substantially cylindrical member having an end opening at one extremity, a perforate side wall, a circumferentially discontinuous flange extending outwardly from the end of said hollow member remote from said end opening, an out-turned flange defining said end opening and being of greater radial width than said shoulder, an annular member of resilient material having an outer marginal portion firmly held between said outturned flange and said shoulder the radial width of said annular member being greater than that of said out-turned flange, whereby an inner marginal portion of said annular member extends beyond said flange over a portion of said end opening, said guide member comprising a hollow, upper, substantially frust'aconical portion having an opening at its larger end of diameter greater than that of the lower member, and being closed at its smaller end, said upper portion having a side wall and a plurality of perforations circumferentially distributed in said side wall near said larger end, and an outwardly extending flange defining said opening and resting on said discontinuous flange, a pressure plate secured in said central passage to hold said guide means fixedlytherewithin, said pressure plate having a central imperforate portion adapted to engage the closed end of the frustaconical upper portion, and a perforate portion extending between said central portion and said housing, a hollow closed float slidably located within the lower portion of the guide means and having near one end a peripheral recess including a lower abrupt shoulder, adapted to receive the inner marginal portion of the resilient annular member on application of pressure to said float, to lock said float in a sealing position with respect to the closure, a sinker freely located in the upper portion of the guide means, said upper portion having out-turned bafile members located above said perforations and registering with the perforations in the perforate portion of the pressure plate.

FELIPE SANTIAGO PISANI. 

